Dynamic Modeling, Guidance and

Control of Laser Guided Bomb

Abstract
CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Introduction to LGB
Mechanical Design and Dimensions of Laser Guided Bomb

Refer document Aerodynamic Design of LGB by Ankur Bhatnagar

WORKING PRINCIPLES OF LASER GUIDED WEAPONS

The components of a laser guided missile are not much different than any missile. The missile
consists of a strap down or a gimbaled laser seeker section which is equipped with generally a 4-
quadrant laser detector and suitable optics, an electronic card to decode the laser code, a
guidance system to analyze targets relative direction, a control section which converts guidance
system commands to physical control surface deflections, a warhead, a fuze, and an engine if
any. In order to employ laser guided weapons, two main components are necessary. A designator
and a laser guided weapon. Laser designators are special equipments which are used in both
aerial designation pods and forward observer posts. A laser designator creates a very high power
but short duration pulses of laser. Ground laser designators consist of a laser source and suitable
binocular optics for the operator to aim and track the target easily. Aerial target designator pods
are more complicated, often have sophisticated laser spot trackers, stabilized thermal and day
cameras for the pilot, and longer range laser sources. The designator is aimed at the target by
means of operator optics. The laser beam strikes the target surface and reflected. The reflection
can usually be detected in a large volume of space as a function of range, weather conditions, etc.
A laser guided weapon is launched by the platform when the pilot or the weapon operator assures
that he/she is in the launch envelope of the weapon and a correct approach bearing is followed.
The weapon may be launched according to its type in LOBL (lock on before launch) or LOAL
(lock on after launch) mode. LOBL requires that the weapon seeker locks on the laser energy
reflected from target and starts following it by its seeker head before being fired. When the
seeker locks on target at the pylon, it is launched by the pilot. In LOAL deliveries, the weapon is
released when the pilot or weapon operator satisfies that the weapon will see the reflected laser
energy sometime after release. In those cases, the weapon may perform midcourse guidance or
flies ballistic according to the type of weapon.

The acquisition starts when the reflected laser energy starts falling on the seeker. The reflected
light enters the seeker as a collimated large beam due to the small aperture of the seeker and the
large volume of reflected energy in space. Optics collects the incoming laser beam and directs it
on the surface of the detector where the falling energy causes a voltage or current formation on
the detector. Since there is a line of sight angle between the weapon and the target, when
refracted by the lenses most of the energy will fall into one region of the detector, giving
information about the line of sight angle between the target and weapon. This is a necessary
knowledge for the guidance system to operate. Depending on the sensitivity and structure of the
seeker it is possible to extract the LOS (line of Sight) angle, lead angle, or LOS rate from the
seeker. This information may be employed at various guidance methods, along with some
additional sensors. For example, a gimbaled seeker which can accurately determine the LOS rate
when backed up by gyros and accelerometers can be used at proportional navigation.
Laser designators and seekers use a pulse coding system to ensure that a specific seeker and
designator combination work in harmony. By setting the same code in both the designator and
the seeker, the seeker will track only the target illuminated by the designator. The pulse coding is
based on PRF (pulse repetition frequency). Coding allows simultaneous or nearly simultaneous
attacks on multiple targets by a single aircraft, or groups of aircraft, launching laser guided
weapons set on different codes.
The effects of smoke, dust, and debris can limit the use of laser-guided weapons. The reflective
scattering of laser light by smoke particles or other obscurants may present false targets. Rain,
snow, fog, and low clouds can prevent effective use of laser-guided munitions. Snow on the
ground can produce a negative effect on laser-guided munitions accuracy with its high
reflectance. Fog and low clouds block the field of view of laser-guided munitions seeker, which
reduces the guidance time. This reduction may affect the probability of hit.

SYSTEM DEFINITION AND MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS

Among the wide range of laser guided weapons ranging from guided projectiles to heavy assault
weapons, only the air to ground glide weapon class will be the main subject of investigation in
this work. Regarding the common properties of similar weapons, the following characteristics of
the generic weapon system are to be used.

The system is assumed without any propulsion.

The weapon is assumed to have a velocity aligning probe mounted seeker known as SAL
Seeker. The laser seeker is assumed to have a 4-quadrant detector, as used in most Laser
guided weapons.

Roll is assumed to be controlled throughout the simulations.

Tail wing are assumed to be fixed type.

Scope of the Work

Constitute a base that can be used for the analysis of laser guided Bomb.

The derivation of equations of motion for a rigid missile. Dynamic equations that are
necessary to define the motion of a missile in 6-DOF simulation are derived. These
equations come out to be nonlinear coupled first order differential equations that are
solved numerically in the simulation studies using initial flight conditions.
 Investigate the effects of several control methodologies on the performance of a generic
laser guided air to surface weapon system having common properties of such kind of
Bombs.

The guidance and control system is introduced. Important angles in the guidance system
are defined, and the TPN guidance method is narrated.

The 6-DOF simulation model created in Matlab Primary launch scenarios against
moving and stationary targets are determined and performances of control methods are
investigated.
 CHAPTER 2

Flight Mechanics

In this chapter, equations of motion for the simulation of a laser guided weapon system are derived and
presented with their important aspects. Aerodynamic coefficients are found by Missile Datcom
software.

REFERENCE FRAMES

All calculations and simulations involving navigation and guidance require some well defined
appropriate coordinate frames. There are a number of Cartesian coordinate

reference frames which are used widely in aerospace applications

The inertial frame: (i-frame) has its origin at the center of the Earth and axes
which are non-rotating with respect to some fixed stars, defined by the axes xi, yi, zi
with zi coincident with the Earths polar axis (which is assumed to be invariant in
direction)(Figure 4-1).

The body frame: (b-frame) is an orthogonal axis set which is aligned with the
roll, pitch and yaw axes of a moving rigid body. The center of the axis system is,
by definition, located at the center of mass (CM) of the body. The frame is fixed to
the moving body and rotates with it. The axes definitions are as follows

X-axis positive from stern to nose when looked from top of the moving
object.
Y-axis from left to right when looked from the top and positive in the
Direction of right wing.

Z- axis downward positive when seen from starboard or port.

For short range tactical missiles, it is possible to make flat Earth assumption and
use NED (north-east-down) frame (or any wander-azimuth frame) as stationary
(excluding coriolis, Earth rate effects, etc.)

The wind frame (w-frame) is an axis set attached to body center of mass, whose
x axis points through the total velocity vector of the body.

In this work, an Earth fixed reference frame is used and treated as an inertial
reference where Newtons laws of motion are valid. The rotational velocity of the
Earth is neglected.

EQUATIONS OF MOTION IN A MOVING / ROTATING AXIS SYSTEM

In general, vector quantities may be measured with respect to a frame and can be expressed in
another frame. Most quantities such as velocity of missile have to be expressed in various frames
other than an inertial one. It is one of the fundamental concepts to know what with respect to
and expressed in mean especially in dealing with rotating frames. For example, velocity with
respect to the inertial frame expressed in the body frame means that the magnitude of the vector
has been measured with respect to an inertial frame and resolved into the components
of a body frame. At any instant, a missile has a velocity vector with respect to the inertial space.
This vector is resolved into the instantaneous missile axes to obtain the velocity components as
u, v, and w. This resolution also applies to the angular velocity. The instantaneous angular
velocity vector, with respect to inertial space, can be resolved into the instantaneous body axes to
obtain p, q, and r which are the components of total angular velocity of the missile with respect
to the inertial space, where Newtons laws apply.

EULER ANGLES

A transformation from one coordinate frame to another sharing a common origin

can be carried out as three successive rotations about different axes. For example,
a transformation from a reference frame to a new coordinate frame (say body axes)
may be expressed as follows.
Rotation about the reference z-axis by an amount
Rotation about the new y-axis by an amount
Rotation about the new x-axis by an amount
where , , and are called Euler angles.
In transforming the location information of a point between the new body fixed
coordinate system and the fixed reference frame, each of these three rotations can
be expressed as 3 separate direction (transformation) matrices as
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
The equations of motion for any vehicle can be derived from the Newtons second
law which states that the summation of all external forces acting on a body must be
equal to time rate of change of its momentum. Also, the summation of all external
moments acting on a rigid body in motion must be equal to time rate of change of
its angular momentum
AERODYNAMICS
DETERMINATION OF AERODYNAMIC COEFFICIENTS

Graphs : 3D
Chapter 3

GUIDANCE AND CONTROL SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
This chapter is primarily about the general layout of guidance and control
modeling.
Widely used angles in missile guidance are defined. Velocity pursuit guidance
method is described. A block diagram of the guidance and control modeling is
given. The calculation procedure for the lead angles is narrated since these angles
have to be calculated mathematically in the simulation studies whereas they are
directly sensed in a real application.
Some special control schemes subject to study, such as the bang-bang, bang-
trailbang,
multiposition and continuous canard deflection methods are described and
the modeling of control schemes is narrated.

LOS (line of sight): The line between the center location of seeker and the target
(the aiming mark or spot on the target).

Impact angle: The angle between the surface (which is to be hit) of the target and
the longitudinal axis of missile. This angle is especially important when attacking hard targets
such as bunkers, aircraft shelters with penetrator warheads or kinetic energy rods in anti-armor
missions.

Lead angle: The initial angle of missile velocity vector with respect to the LOS is
known as the missile lead angle.

LOS angle: The angle between the reference line (Earth horizontal) and the LOS.
Flight path angle: The angle between the velocity vector and the inertial reference.

Look angle: The angle between the missile longitudinal axis and the LOS.

Figure of seeker
GENERAL LAYOUT OF GUIDANCE SYSTEM

The generic weapon used in this study employs the velocity pursuit guidance law
since it has no additional sensors to utilize other guidance methods. This guidance
law mainly stands on the fact that, the target can be hit if the velocity vector of the
missile can be forced to coincide with the LOS between the missile and the target.
To implement this law, the laser sensor is sometimes located on a special structure
called as birdie which aligns itself (and the seeker) with the airstream (missile
velocity vector). This birdie is mounted on the missile nose by a swivel joint. The
missile body assumes the angle of attack with the birdie to fly the required path.
The general layout of weapon model used in this thesis is shown in Figure 5-3.
The laser seeker, whose normal line direction is the same as the weapons velocity
vector, senses the collimated laser beam when the laser spot falls on the detector
surface. Voltages generated by the seeker as a response to the incident laser beam
are sent to the guidance system. The guidance system converts these voltages into
commanded elevator and rudder deflections.
Four control schemes are modeled. Bang-bang (BB), bang-bang with deadzone
(BTB), multiposition, and fully continuous. These commanded deflections are sent

The control actuation system (CAS) is modeled by using a fourth order transfer
function whose response time is fast enough to perform commanded deflections in
a short time without disturbing the guidance command sequence

Control model figure

 Elevator and rudder deflections enter to the flight dynamics model which is used to
simulate the flight of the weapon system.
The target model constitutes both stationary and moving targets. Moving targets
are modeled as main battle tanks with some sinusoidal and random directional
maneuvers.

Proportional Navigation Guidance Law

Image of PN guidance LOS using target and missile

The PNG law is the most popular guidance law that has been applied for
over fifty years. Actually, its popularity comes from its effectiveness and ease of
implementation. Originally, the PNG law issues angular rate commands or
acceleration commands perpendicular to the instantaneous missile-target line-ofsight
(LOS). However, considering the acceleration commands, when these
commands are transformed into the missile reference frame (Fb), they yield an axial
component as well as transversal components. Due to the lack of a controllable

Implementation of PN in code
In real life, the seeker senses lead angles directly. But in mathematical modeling,
lead angle values are obtained by the help of some calculations using the weapon target
range vector and weapon attitude as explained in the following section

LEAD ANGLE DETERMINATION

The determination of the lead angle is important for the guidance and control
system modeling since lead angles are used in voltage-yaw/pitch error functions
with respect to the seeker axis system. In order to determine the lead angle (angle
between the velocity vector of the weapon and LOS) the following procedure is
employed.
Since the seeker is mounted on a probe-like structure which aligns its direction
with the apparent velocity vector, the seekers vision will be directly centered at the
velocity direction. Thus, the seeker will be measuring the lead angle directly. It is
possible to orient any vector to any direction by two successive rotations in
azimuth and elevation with respect to say, seeker frame.
In order to calculate the lead angle, it is necessary to know the line that connects
the seekers position and the targets position with respect to the fixed navigation
frame. (LOS) Then this position vector can be resolved into its components and a
two dimensional LOS angle can be obtained.
The equations of motion are written according to the CM (center of mass) of the
weapon and its position is actually the CM position with respect to inertial frame.
In order to find the real LOS between the seeker and the target, the distance
between the seeker and CM of the weapon must be taken into account
 Chapter 3

6-DOF simulation: Results and Discussions

Case table
Conclusion and summary